MILLENNIUM FARMS : A FULL SERVICE THOROUGHBED FARM

Ro Parra and Student Council

Millennium Farms’ owner, Rosendo (Ro) Parra, was born in 1959 in Ecuador and moved with his family to Maryland in 1974. He attended the University of Maryland and graduated with a bachelor's degree in marketing. Parra then spent 12 years with Radio Shack working up to oversee all retail operations in the North Central Region. Next Parra worked for GRiD Systems Corporation for four years serving as Vice President and General Manager of the Federal Division and later of the PC Strategic Business.

Parra joined Dell, Inc. in 1993 as Senior Vice President and General Manager of Dell Americas. After his retirement from Dell in 2007, he founded Daylight Partners, a venture capital firm that specializes in helping mid-stage companies turbo-charge their growth initiatives.

Parra's first involvement in racing came as a fan in South America going to the track with his father. "Once I was able to afford to invest in horses, I knew that's what I wanted to do," he said. Parra claimed his first horse in 1999 for $5,000 at Texas' Retama Park. His primary trainer is Steve Asmussen.

In 1999, Parra purchased Millennium Farms near Lexington, KY. The 320-acre facility focuses on all aspects of the Thoroughbred industry: stallions, boarding and sales preparation/representation.

Parra has campaigned nearly 50 stakes winners as an owner. His top horses include Even the Score and Student Council, both purchased privately as racehorses before becoming successful stallions at Millennium Farms. Even the Score has become the most prolific son of Unbridled's Song at stud and is the sire of multiple Grade 1 stakes winners. Student Council was a multiple Grade 1 stakes winner for Parra, winning the Pacific Classic (G1) and Pimlico Special (G1) before competing in the Japan Cup and the Breeders' Cup.

Parra also bred or owned the Texas champion 2-year-old filly three years in a row, raced Hawthorne Gold Cup winner Super Frolic, and bred Breeders’ Cup of Juvenile winner Wilko.

In 2004, the Parra Family Foundation teamed with University of Kentucky basketball coach Orlando "Tubby" Smith to provide computers and computer training to at-risk middle school students in the Lexington area as part of the "Tubby's Klubhouses" program.

Parra previously sat on the Board of Directors for Brinker International (NYSE:EAT), NII Holdings, Inc. (NasdaqGS: NIHD), and currently sits on the Board of Directors for Pacific Gas and Electric (NYSE: PCG).

Parra's wife, Cheryl, is a retired pathologist. The couple lives in Austin, Texas with their four children.

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NEW: VIEW ARTICLE "WAY ABOVE PAR" in T H E B L O O D - H O R S E - 09/ 13/08
SEE RO'S CHAT IN THE TALKIN' HORSES courtesy of the The Blood-Horse
CLICK TO READ MORE ABOUT RO PARRA courtesy of El Caballista
CLICK TO READ THE BUSINESS OF HORSES - RO PARRA - courtesy of the Thoroughbred Times